Indiana...a depressing place to live?? (Indianapolis, Evansville: purchases, housing, castle)

[Joanithan]

I can say that Indiana, and particularly Indianapolis where I have lived off and on for 10 years, is the most depressing and, frankly, unhappy place I have lived. I have lived in several cities in the world. The only place I said I would never return was Indiana; yet here I have been again for the past year in order to live close to my spouse's family (this was my choice, so it's a bit disingenuous to complain). It has changed Very little in past 15 years I was away. Fortunately those years, even as I struggled through schooling and residency, were very happy and not poisoned by the realization that I would some day return.
My analogy is its like a vast subdivision of new concrete roads and tacky homes of the sort popular in the 80's, dotted by Bradford pear trees wrapped in white paper and bound by 3 wires fresh from Lowes. it is like a vast strip mall of Walmarts and every conceivable national chain and without any unique or free- standing stores -- either due to disinterest in "weird" places full of strange East or West coast "fruitcakes" or due to a lack of interest in buying anything not available in Marshall's, Macy's, Kohl's or target. Even in the highest functioning circles of my friends, the aspiration for their children is to send their children to an Indiana institution of higher learning (with Notre Dame as the white tower), work for Lilly, cheer on the Colts, and clothe themselves in as many baseball caps and North Face Jackets/regalia as possible. Spiritual life: attend Joal Olstein like mega churches and keep a careful eye on any non-white female not sporting a bob hair cut, an indoor tan, or, for the men, a short haircut with a sharp part to the side.
It produced Mike Pence.
It is flat as a pancake.
There is no ballet in even Infianapolis.
My gay friends are afraid to attend events as a couple or engage in PDA.
The winter is sheer misery because the slush and ice go on forever and ever such that the summer months are marked by the inevitability of another grey miserable weather.
The people here generally have no idea how bad it is and are convinced that other way of live is weird or unnatural. The generally attitude is one of flinty Calvinism. If this is not to your liking , then the response is "stay the hell out or suck it up, you whiner"
The cost if living is relatively good.
To a certain group of people, these attributes are actually a virtue. That is fine, and they are not malevolently bad people. If you find this sort of environment a comfortable/secure, you have found a home.

[sheerbliss]

Actually, Indianapolis has had a ballet since 2009, and pretty much every city in America has tacky strip malls and chain stores (hence the term "national chains"). Likewise, there are neighborhoods here with independent shops, food trucks, festivals and beautiful, hilly parks within the city limits. And I've met more openly gay people here than I ever did in hip, trendy Denver.

I'd suggest that you move out of the 'burbs, but I don't know where a cynically hip whiney-pants would find many friends around here.

[Humboldt1]

No way Indy becomes like Denver anytime soon. It will continue to be like Columbus Ohio.

I grew up halfway between Indy and Cincy and Cincy definitely has better food and shopping and nature.

However, there are advantages to not being in hilly river country, which allows Indy to have great traffic flow and has allowed Indy to become logistics hub.

Many people with money go to Chicago and sometimes even NYC, Paris, London, Milan as there are limited upscale options locally.

As previous poster noted Keystone is tiny.

People with money largely avoid east and west sides and Greenwood is just okay. Almost all wealth is concentrated on north side.

The idea of hilly parks in Indianapolis is laughable. This is coming from guy who lives in Chicago, which is even flatter.

[RememberMee]

In my book Indiana is like an epitome of unimaginative consumption, suburban kitsch and excess. A place devoid of even faintenst attempts at authenticity, but in a way it is true Americana of 1950s (in spirit) as I imagine it, the times when giving up backward identity in favor of the progress, shaped and delivered by corporations and its trusty minion - government, was viewed as the key to good life.

[sheerbliss]

Originally Posted by RememberMee

In my book Indiana is like an epitome of unimaginative consumption, suburban kitsch and excess. A place devoid of even faintenst attempts at authenticity, but in a way it is true Americana of 1950s (in spirit) as I imagine it, the times when giving up backward identity in favor of the progress, shaped and delivered by corporations and its trusty minion - government, was viewed as the key to good life.

Oh? Based on what?

[sheerbliss]

Originally Posted by Humboldt1

The idea of hilly parks in Indianapolis is laughable. This is coming from guy who lives in Chicago, which is even flatter.

Here are links to topographical maps of Holliday Park and Ft. Harrison State Park. It's more accurate to say Holliday Park has long, steep banks rather than hills. Nevertheless, the maps show the parks aren't flat.

https://www.topoquest.com/map.php?la...m=nad83&zoom=4

https://www.topoquest.com/map.php?la...=zoomin&size=m

[Humboldt1]

Ft Harrison has a little roll to it, but I barely noticed even while running the Indy Marathon.

Indy is pretty flat with only a few hundred feet separation in elevation throughout metro area.

Brown County is hilly.

[GraniteStater]

Originally Posted by Humboldt1

Ft Harrison has a little roll to it, but I barely noticed even while running the Indy Marathon.

Indy is pretty flat with only a few hundred feet separation in elevation throughout metro area.

Brown County is hilly.

Brown County is hilly but Clark County, surprisingly, has more topographic relief within its borders. The highest point at the Clark/Floyd line is 1,024ft, while down at the Ohio River is around 400ft.

[Ivory Lee Spurlock]

Originally Posted by RememberMee

In my book Indiana is like an epitome of unimaginative consumption, suburban kitsch and excess. A place devoid of even faintenst attempts at authenticity, but in a way it is true Americana of 1950s (in spirit) as I imagine it, the times when giving up backward identity in favor of the progress, shaped and delivered by corporations and its trusty minion - government, was viewed as the key to good life.

What is the name of your book? Sounds like a good one. I wanna read it. Can I get it on Amazon?

To me, it seems like time moves a little slower in Indiana than most everywhere else. I know whenever we drive to Indiana from Texas, if we take the Southern route, soon as we cross over from Tennessee into Kentucky, that's when it seems like life really slows down. All thru Kentucky to the road that takes us to Tell City and then on up to Bloomington, Columbus, Greensbug, Rushville, New Castle and Muncie, it kinda feels like I'm stepping back in time. Film it in black and white and you might think it's the mid-1950's. If we come the Northern route and cross from Illinois into Indiana west of Evansville or on I-70 by Terre Haute, it's the same way, life slows down. Even Indianapolis seems to move slow compared to the large cities between Indianapolis and San Antonio, Memphis, St Louis, Houston, Dallas, and Austin. Honestly, I think Indiana and Kentucky are two of the slowest moving states in the nation. I can't quite put my finger on it, but nobody's in a hurry. There's not a sense of urgency in the air. Indiana has to be the most laid back state in the nation. That's Indiana's charm, I think.

[sheerbliss]

Hills and slopes are nice in a park, but I don't think they add much to a city.